The special coordinator of the Stability Pact for Southeast Europe, Erhard Busek, called on the countries to improve conditions for foreign investment and to replace 29 bilateral agreements on free trade with one for the entire region like the Central European Free Trade Agreement.
The prime ministers talked about measures to encourage direct investment. Last year eight billion euros were invested in countries of Southeast Europe, although 70 per cent of the figure went into Romania and Bulgaria.
Prime ministers Ivo Sanader of Croatia, Vlado Buckovski of Macedonia, Salin Popescu-Tariceanu of Romania, Milo Djukanovic of Montenegro and Vojislav Kostunica of Serbia also talked about the employment policy and introduction of European standards in the region.
This was the fourth meeting of Southeast European prime ministers in Salzburg before Austria takes over the rotating European Union presidency early next year, said the host, Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel.